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The purpose of this health consultation is to evaluate the public health significance of current site
conditions at the Petersen Sand and Gravel Company. On September 29, 1993, the Agency for
Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) released a Site Review and Update (SRU)
prepared by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). For this health consultation, IDPH
reviewed the historical and environmental data available since the release of the SRU.

SITE LOCATION

The Petersen Sand and Gravel site is about 2 miles north of Libertyville, Lake County, Illinois,
northeast of the intersection of Illinois Routes 21 and 137 (Attachment 1). The site is bordered
by the Des Plaines River to the west; by Route 137 to the south; by River Road, forest preserve
land and private homes to the east; and by agricultural land and small businesses to the north.

SITE HISTORY

In 1952, the property owner purchased approximately 30 acres of land west, and 20 acres east of
the Des Plaines River. The owner began sand and gravel operations on both parcels of land later
that same year. Between 1955 and 1958, the owner allowed dumping of refuse in the 3 to 4-acre
worked-out portion of the gravel pit on the east side of the river. This refuse reportedly consisted
of construction debris, trees, tires, and other nonhazardous materials. In 1968, the Lake County
Health Department (LCHD) discovered that refuse was being dumped into the gravel pit. The
owner was notified to discontinue the disposal activities because no permit had been obtained to
receive these wastes. LCHD documented illegal dumping during reinspections of the site in 1969
and 1970. Materials observed during these reinspections included tires, paint cans, auto body
parts, plastic remnants, mattresses, sofas, wood, boxes, brush, construction and demolition
debris, household garbage, and galvanized pipe.

In addition to the debris, hazardous materials such as paint, paint wastes, and solvents were also
reportedly disposed of at the site between 1970 and 1972. Two neighbors who lived nearby
reported that about 50 drums filled with an oily liquid were disposed of in the pit. Between 1971
and 1972, a Libertyville Township supervisor stated that he saw hundreds of 50-gallon drums,
many of which were full, and hundreds of 5-gallon buckets containing paint residues. A
complaint filed by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) against the
owner states that oil was deposited along the top of the bank of the Des Plaines River sometime
after July 1, 1970 and before October 12, 1971, and that it created a water pollution hazard. In
1971, the owner requested a permit to operate a landfill at the site, but the request was denied.
On September 29, 1971, Illinois EPA directed the owner to close the site after further reports of
illegal dumping.

In April 1976, Illinois EPA received a complaint from a witness stating that approximately 500
barrels of paint and solvent waste were buried in a berm on the site. Illinois EPA inspected the
site and saw 10 to 15 uncovered barrels near a berm in the northeast corner of the site. In 1976,
the Lake County Circuit Court ordered the excavation and removal of waste from this area. In
1977, the Lake County Forest Preserve District (LCFPD) purchased some land along the east
bank of the Des Plaines River that included the pit. In August 1983, LCFPD uncovered
additional drums during land reconstruction work. The size of the drum burial area was
estimated to be 50 feet wide (east to west), 100 feet long, and 15 feet deep. In November 1983, a
contractor removed approximately 400 drums from this area and 2,621 cubic yards of
contaminated soil. The site was graded after removal operations.

In 1984, the site was placed on the National Priorities List (NPL). In 1985, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and Illinois EPA signed a cooperative agreement for Illinois
EPA to perform a Remedial Investigation (RI) at the site. A final RI report was completed in
April 1988. A review of the RI indicated that contaminants were not present at levels of public
health concern, and therefore, a feasibility study was not necessary.

On August 25, 1988, ATSDR released a Public Health Assessment (PHA) for the site, which
concluded that the site was not of public health concern at that time because no completed
human exposure pathways were identified [1]. In February 1991, the site was removed from the
NPL.

In September 1993, ATSDR released an SRU for Petersen Sand and Gravel. The SRU concluded
that the previous removal activities at the site were adequate to protect human health and the
environment and that the site still posed no public health hazard [2].

SITE VISIT

IDPH staff have visited the site several times, most recently on February 26, 2001. The site was
accessible and only a wooden fence surrounded it. No activity was seen on the site. The adjacent
properties consist of commercial and industrial operations in addition to residential properties.

DISCUSSION

IDPH contacted Illinois EPA to determine the current status of site activities. No new activities
have occurred at the site since the 1993 SRU. LCFPD now owns the site. Plans have been
presented to turn the area into a large recreational lake. A trail is currently being built along the
Des Plaines River, which borders the site on the west side. The sampling conducted during the
1988 RI indicated that the site has levels of contamination that slightly exceed background levels
in soil, surface water, and groundwater. None of these contaminants were at levels that would
cause adverse health effects.

CHILD HEALTH INITIATIVE

IDPH recognizes that children are especially sensitive to some contaminants. For that reason,
IDPH includes children when evaluating exposures to contaminants. Children are the most
sensitive population considered in this health consultation. IDPH does not anticipate children
that will be exposed to contaminants at this site.

CONCLUSIONS

The conclusions of both previous documents that the site currently poses no public health
hazard are still applicable.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Public health assessment for
Petersen Sand and Gravel, Libertyville, Lake County, Illinois. Atlanta: US Department of
Health and Human Services; August 25, 1988.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Site review and update for Petersen
Sand and Gravel, Libertyville, Lake County, Illinois. Atlanta: US Department of Health
and Human Services; September 29, 1993.

CERTIFICATION

This Peterson Sand and Gravel Health Consultation was prepared by the Illinois Department of
Public Health under a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry. It is in accordance with approved methodology and procedures existing at the time the
health consultation was begun.

Gail D. Godfrey
Technical Project Officer
SPS, SSAB, DHAC, ATSDR

The Division of Health Assessment and Consultation, ATSDR, has reviewed this health
consultation and concurs with its findings.